Injection vs Combined pill

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Injection

Add your Injection review

Combined pill

£From £0.16/day

Overview

Rated 2.9

274 reviews

Every 2-3 months

Frequency

94% - 99+%

Effectiveness

None

Blood clot risk

Short term

Effect on fertility

Rated 2.8

2485 reviews

Daily

Frequency

91% - 99+%

Effectiveness

Increased

Blood clot risk

None

Effect on fertility

Injection ingredients

Main hormones in Injection

progestogen


Combined pill ingredients

Main hormones in Combined pill

progestogen

oestrogen

What Lowdown reviewers say

32% somewhat negative

70% stopped periods

57% lost sex drive

49% gained weight

51% no impact on skin

Cycle return

41% don’t know impact

32% somewhat negative

48% lighter periods

46% lost sex drive

48% no impact

44% improved skin

Cycle return

36% don’t know impact

Benefits: What this contraceptive can help with

Endometriosis

Heavy periods

Period pain

Acne or bad skin

Heavy periods

PMS and PMDD

PCOS symptoms

Period pain

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Try it now

£From £0.16/day

Check out our latest reviews

Real life reviews from people like you

Injection reviews

274 reviews

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Injection  

Eix very terrible,,everything I eat taste very back even the food I love,have terrible headache n my period stopped with my first shot so was thinking I was pregnant,I’ve gained a lot lot of weight 😫😫

Read more

Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I’ve had a really positive experience with depo. I was on it for around 4 years pre-covid, and have currently been using again for 18 months. Periods have completely stopped and I haven’t experienced side effects (my hair might be slightly thinner, but I’m not sure if I’d just never noticed I have thin hair). After stopping use the first time it did take many months for my periods to return. I’m only thinking about stopping taking it now with the recent studies on links to brain tumours.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I have really enjoyed not having periods and not having to remember my pill as I am very forgetful. I have gained an increased sex drive and I used to get cramps all the time and it stopped most of those. I rarely get migraines. Maybe one every two months. My only major issue was my hair loss. I’ve lost about 50% of my hair and now it’s brittle but after taking calcium supplements and changing my diet it’s a bit more normal. It could be unrelated but around the same time as I started the depo I also got Dyshidrotic eczema on my feet. What makes me think this could be related is I’m also very itchy on my hands, and legs since starting. I could just be getting older and I’ve had issues in the past with my hips but I’ve also pulled my back, and badly sprained my ankle and hip. This has only happened after starting the depo. After a year of being on it everything seems to have leveled out. All bad points above have now become less noticeable and I feel very comfortable. External issues are still an issue like being constantly interrogated like I don’t know what I’m doing in the nurses office as I take my depo every 10 weeks due to bleeding for the last 3 weeks of the cycle. They also seem to want you on the coil I’m not sure what that is about but it’s very annoying. Also depending on who is administering the shot you may feel basically no pain or a ton that could last for a few hours These side effects may not be for some but from my past personal issues I am happy with the contraceptive compared to others I’ve tried


Improved skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Injection  

Eix very terrible,,everything I eat taste very back even the food I love,have terrible headache n my period stopped with my first shot so was thinking I was pregnant,I’ve gained a lot lot of weight 😫😫


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I’ve had a really positive experience with depo. I was on it for around 4 years pre-covid, and have currently been using again for 18 months. Periods have completely stopped and I haven’t experienced side effects (my hair might be slightly thinner, but I’m not sure if I’d just never noticed I have thin hair). After stopping use the first time it did take many months for my periods to return. I’m only thinking about stopping taking it now with the recent studies on links to brain tumours.


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Injection  
Used for 18 mo - 3 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Depo-Provera injection  

I have really enjoyed not having periods and not having to remember my pill as I am very forgetful. I have gained an increased sex drive and I used to get cramps all the time and it stopped most of those. I rarely get migraines. Maybe one every two months. My only major issue was my hair loss. I’ve lost about 50% of my hair and now it’s brittle but after taking calcium supplements and changing my diet it’s a bit more normal. It could be unrelated but around the same time as I started the depo I also got Dyshidrotic eczema on my feet. What makes me think this could be related is I’m also very itchy on my hands, and legs since starting. I could just be getting older and I’ve had issues in the past with my hips but I’ve also pulled my back, and badly sprained my ankle and hip. This has only happened after starting the depo. After a year of being on it everything seems to have leveled out. All bad points above have now become less noticeable and I feel very comfortable. External issues are still an issue like being constantly interrogated like I don’t know what I’m doing in the nurses office as I take my depo every 10 weeks due to bleeding for the last 3 weeks of the cycle. They also seem to want you on the coil I’m not sure what that is about but it’s very annoying. Also depending on who is administering the shot you may feel basically no pain or a ton that could last for a few hours These side effects may not be for some but from my past personal issues I am happy with the contraceptive compared to others I’ve tried


Improved skin

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments


Combined pill reviews

2485 reviews

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

Drovelis pill  

Drovelis was my first ever contraceptive pill. While I experienced very slight dizziness during the first month of taking it, this no longer persists and the only major side effect I got was breast enlargement and tenderness which started during 2nd month of taking this pill (which - enlargement - I actually absolutely loved).


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
39 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Qlaira pill  

Start of it was great, made my periods less painful and lighter. After a while periods came back to lasting a long time, got extreme period pains, discharge in my nipple, blood clot in my leg and they said it was dangerous to continue it’s use since I’m a smoker.


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Gedarel 20/150 pill  

At the start all was going great but in the last 2/3 months things have started going really downhill, I have started shedding hair at an alarming rate, I have gained weight, I have developed thrush on my boob, my eczema is awful, the skin on my face is so oily, I constantly feel down and sad which I used to only experience when I was in the week before my period. It’s definitely not a long term solution.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 3 - 6 mo
25 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 days ago

Drovelis pill  

Drovelis was my first ever contraceptive pill. While I experienced very slight dizziness during the first month of taking it, this no longer persists and the only major side effect I got was breast enlargement and tenderness which started during 2nd month of taking this pill (which - enlargement - I actually absolutely loved).


Top side effects not reported

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
39 years old
🇬🇧 UK
  •  4 days ago

Qlaira pill  

Start of it was great, made my periods less painful and lighter. After a while periods came back to lasting a long time, got extreme period pains, discharge in my nipple, blood clot in my leg and they said it was dangerous to continue it’s use since I’m a smoker.


Somewhat negative mood

3 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Gedarel 20/150 pill  

At the start all was going great but in the last 2/3 months things have started going really downhill, I have started shedding hair at an alarming rate, I have gained weight, I have developed thrush on my boob, my eczema is awful, the skin on my face is so oily, I constantly feel down and sad which I used to only experience when I was in the week before my period. It’s definitely not a long term solution.


Somewhat negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 12 - 18 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Zoely pill  

unfortunately caused severe negative effects on my mental health and quality of life. increased anxiety & depression (both were constant) and drastically reduced my confidence and body image. all symptoms intensified the week before a period was due - body image was so poor i wouldn't leave the house or wear anything other than baggy clothes, felt suicidal, cried over nothing, lost all motivation/drive, couldn't concentrate + poor short term memory, felt worthless, anhedonic, insomnia that was worst the few days before a bleed, and persistent fatigue & lethargy. i did try to stick it out as i assumed it was pre-existing conditions causing my symptoms, but they got progressively worse the longer i was on it. after i came off the pill i noticed pretty rapid improvement in my self confidence and overall mental health.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 5 - 8 yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  2 weeks ago

Rigevidon  

This was my first contraception given to me by my GP at age 19. I believe Rigevidon is the cheapest which is why often it is what many are prescribed, that is what I learned from watching a doc by Davina McCall! It took me years to realise my mood swings and emotional outbursts were a side effect, not a true reflection of who I was. I felt like I had too many artificial hormones inside affecting my mental heath and the close relationships around me. I also suffered with acne. Once I moved to the implant (which really wasn’t a scary or painful procedure), mentally I have been in such a better place.


Very negative mood

2 more effects

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  3 weeks ago

Rigevidon  

I was prescribed this pill mainly for my moods and it really did help. I was taking the pill for many years and every month when I had my break in tablets I would get a headache. I thought it was a symptom of PMS but after having a pill review with my GP they advised me to stop taking it. Since I stopped I haven’t had one headache which is quite worrying. They always ask about migraines in the questionnaire but never headaches so it didn’t even occur to me that it might be the pill causing this


Very positive mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 8+ yr
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Microgynon 30 ED pill  

I was automatically put on the pill as soon as i became sexually active, within 6 months of this I was on put on antidepressants, of course I didn’t realise and wasn’t told the possibility of a connection. I conceived my 2nd child whilst on the pill. As I got older and became single again I came off the pill and saw a huge change in myself, I also came off the antidepressants easily and felt healthier mentally, I also felt an increase in libido….Something I lost completely whilst on the pill. I’m now dating again and looking for an alternative contraceptive as I cannot go back to how I was before. I also recently found out that the pill can contribute to the production of gallstones.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Dretine pill  

I’ve been taking this for over a month and I’ve had terrible skin, I’ve never had spots in my life and I’ve got so many. I’ve also rarely ever had thrush, which I have now read is a common side effect. Also some hair loss. Not a great pill at all, have stopped taking completely.


Very negative mood

1 more effect

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 1 - 3 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Rigevidon  

Started off on this pill, I'm one of those lucky people who are never sick but while on this pill I would quite regularly feel nauseous a few hours after taking it and on about 5 occasions would vomit aswell, which for me was very unusual but after switching to a different pill these side effects went away.


Worse skin

0 helpful

0 comments

Combined pill  
Used for 6 - 12 mo
Lowdown user
🇬🇧 UK
  •  1 month ago

Yasmin pill  

I got prescribed the combination pill due to recurring endometrial polyps. I'm pretty happy with this pill, it took me 3 months to adapt to taking it with frequent mood swings, irritation and sore breasts in the beginning, but once I got past that I really saw the benefits. My hair had been progressively thinning for 3 years before I started this medication, let me confirm that as soon as I started taking this it went away like magic. My hair is thicker and my hairline is barely visible now, it's so much thicker and I'm thrilled. No pregnancies on this pill either so it does work. I do still have tender breasts from time to time and some light cramping but I still feel it's worth taking. 9/10 recommend.


Somewhat positive mood

0 helpful

0 comments

Contraceptive alternatives and comparisons

Compare the Injection with other contraceptives

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